Portable convertible mantle-lantern, camp stove

ABSTRACT

A portable fuel dispensing unit having a fuel tank and valve for metering fuel therefrom through a tube to a fuel outlet, and a top open annular framework upstanding from the fuel tank in spaced surrounding relation to the tube, characterized by separate lantern and burner assemblies adapted to be used individually with the fuel dispensing unit for providing service as a lantern or a camp stove; the lantern assembly being unitary and having a hood that covers the open top of the annular framework and further having a fuel manifold that supports the mantle and communicates it with the fuel tube outlet, the lantern assembly being secured to the framework by a resilient bail handle having ends that can be separated upon manual flexure of the handle and released to be fitted through aligned openings in the lantern assembly and framework, and a transparent lens confined within the annular framework in spaced surrounding relation to the mantle; and said burner assembly having a sleeve that fits over the fuel tube in communication with the outlet and further that has an upper burner located within the confines of and below the top of the open framework.

United States Patent [1 1 Spotts PORTABLE CONVERTIBLE MANTLE-LANTERN, CAMP STOVE Primary ExaminerEdward G. Favors AttorneyCharles F. Lind ABSTRACT A portable fuel dispensing unit having a fuel tank and Nov. 20, 1973 valve for metering fuel therefrom through a tube to a fuel outlet, and a top open annular framework upstanding from the fuel tank in spaced surrounding relation to the tube, characterized by separate lantern and burner assemblies adapted to be used individually with the fuel dispensing unit for providing service as a lantern or a camp stove; the lantern assembly being unitary and having a hood that covers the open top of the annular framework and further having a fuel manifold that supports the mantle and communicates it with the fuel tube outlet, the lantern assembly being secured to the framework by a resilient bail handle having ends that can be separated upon manual flexure of the handle and released to be fitted through aligned openings in the lantern assembly and framework, and a transparent lens confined within the annular framework in spaced surrounding relation to the mantle; and said burner assembly having a sleeve that fits over the fuel tube in communication with the outlet and further that has an upper burner located within the confines of and below the top of the open framework.

2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures I I g i 7O 2O 1 4 ll: 72 I I 11' PAIENIEU NOV 20 I975 SHEET 18? 2 2 w I N F o 6 O1 2 3 4 3 2 w G O 2 2 M F 9/ M 1. .11.. H 6 v w l o M 1 N F u 4 034 3 232 H M PORTABLE CONVERTIBLE MANTLE-LANTERN, CAMP STOVE The basic object of this invention is to provide a portable fuel dispensing unit that can be easily combined in alternate operating configurations with separate lantern and burner assemblies to serve respectively as a mantle lantern and as a single burner camp stove. A securing mechanism in the form of a resilient bail handle having aligned inwardly directed tabs is used to hold the lantern assembly to the framework of the fuel dispensing unit for operation as a lantern, but this securing mechanism can be easily released merely upon outward separation of the tabs to. allow complete removal of the lantern assembly and the placement in operative relationship with the fuel dispensing unit of the burner assembly. For convenience, it is possible also when service is provided as a lantern to hold the burner assembly in storage-position on the fuel dispensing unit.

Specific advantages and features of this invention will be more fully understood after reviewing the following specification, the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the device shown assembled as a portable mantle-lantern;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the unit shown in FIG. 1, except with the lantern assembly partly disassembled from the fuel dispensing unit;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the device shown assembled as a single burner camp stove;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the burner assembly used in the unit of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view as seen generally from line 5-5 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an elevational sectional view as seen generally from line 6 6 in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view similar to FIG. 6 except showing the unit of FIG. 3 assembled as a camp stove.

Referring in the drawings to FIG. 2 and others, the fuel dispensing device 10 illustrated is for liquid fuel such as non-leaded or white gasoline and is shown as having a fuel tank 12 and a hand pump 14 suited upon manipulation to provide super-atmospheric pressures in the fuel tank. A perforated air inlet wall 16 (FIG. 5) upstands from the fuel tank, and an open top cylindrical framework 18 upstands from the manifold wall and includes a base plate 19 and four spaced side rods 20 therefrom connected to upper ring 22. A vaporizer tube 24 upstands from the fuel tank concentrically located within the perforated wall 16 and annular framework 18 and communicates through control valve 26 and fuel line 27 (FIG. 5) with the fuel tank.

To this basic fuel dispensing unit 10 either a burner assembly 30 or a lantern assembly 32 can be operatively assembled to give operation either as a camp stove or a mantle-lantem.

Referring first to burner assembly 30 (shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 6) it includes a sleeve 33 sufficiently large internally .to fit loosely over the vaporizer tube 24 and the sleeve is connected at its upper end to a bowl 34. A perforated burner plate 36 closes the bowl top and the fuel outlet opens to within the bowl chamber. Slots 38 in the bowl 34 admit air for admixture with the fuel to give a proper burning mixture above the burner plate 36.

To start the burner in operation, the pump is manipulated until there is a superatmospheric pressure in the fuel tank. A starter trough or bowl 40 (FIG. 5) is provided concentrically of the tube 24 immediately above the base wall 19, and this can be manually filled with the liquid fuel and ignited. This heats the fuel tube sufficiently to vaporize liquid fuel therein. Thus, upon opening the control valve 26 with several turns of valve knob 41 the gaseous fuel discharge admixes with air in the bowl and can be easily ignited for flame propagation above the burner. I-leat conduction through the burner bowl and sleeve provides sufficient continuing heating of the vaporizer for sustained operation once the fuel in the trough has been consumed.

It is noted from FIG. 3 for example that a pan 46 can be easily supported on the framework ring 22 or in fact a grill (not shown) can be supported across the ring 22 for support of a pan smaller than the ring. The flame output is regulated and maintained by the control valve and the superatmospheric fuel pressure in the fuel tank. The burner is located within the framework and below the top thereof to direct flame upwardly against the pan supported thereon.

To operate the unit as a lantern, burner assembly 30 is removed from the unit and can be sorted with the sleeve through aligned openings 50 in the air manifold wall 16 and coil spring 52 hooked between the manifold wall and the burner releasably holds the burner bowl secure against the wall.

The lantern assembly 32 is unitary to provide placement on or removal from the fuel dispersing unit with a minimum of effort. The lantern assembly 32 has a crowned reflector plate 62 that rests on the ring 22 where the upstanding central part of the plate has vent openings 64 in turn covered by a hood 66 secured to the plate 62. A U-shaped manifold tube 70 is secured to the reflector plate and hood as by a mounting bolt 68 and has downwardly depending open tube sections to which separate mantles 72 are secured generally in laterally spaced relation to an upstanding inlet tube 74. The inlet tube 74 communicates with the manifold tube 70 and further has an opening 76 therein which is adapted to fit over the upper end of the vaporizer tube 24 to communicate the fuel outlet with the manifold tube 70 and the mantles 72. The tube 74 further extends downwardly through a opening 78 in the base wall 19 to within the air inlet manifold was 16 thereby allowing admixing air inflow to the manifold to provide the proper combustible mixture in the mantle.

A cylindrical glass lens or globe 80 typically fits within the open top of the framework 18 and against the base wall 19 and is confined removably in place by the positioned lantern assembly 32.

The lantern assembly can be easily held in place relative to the fuel unit by means of a bail handle 82. The handle 82 is of a resilient material such as high grade steel and has inwardly directed end tabs 84 which can be fitted into aligned openings 86 and 87 in the lantern assembly 60 and framework ring 22 merely by outward flexure and release of the handle arms where the handle resiliency keeps the tabs engaged. The lantern assembly can likewise be removed easily upon release of the handle tabs, and the globe if required can also be lifted from the framework.

A starting control of generally conventional construction can be providedin the control valve 26 which operates upon half turn manipulation from the closed position of the knob 41 to open a line (not shown) between the vaporizer tube and the fuel tank at a location this liquid fuel is vaporized by the glowing mantle being proximate the fuel tube.

What is claimed is:

l. A portable convertible mantle lantern, camp stove comprising a fuel dispensing unit including a fuel tank, a vaporizer tube upstanding from the fuel tank and fuel line means including a valve communicating between the fuel tank and the vaporizer tube, a pervious air inlet manifold wall upstanding from the fuel tank annularly spaced from the vaporizer tube, and a top open annular framework upstanding from the manifold wall and surrounding in spaced relationship the vaporizer tube; and lantern and burner assemblies adapted to be selectively and individually placed in operative association with the fuel dispensing unit for selective operation respectively as a lantern or camp stove, said lantern assembly being unitary and being removed from or positioned on the fuel dispensing unit in the one piece and having a vented hood and a downwardly depending tube therefrom that opens to within adjacent proximity of the air manifold wall when the lantern assembly is positioned on the fuel dispensing unit and is supported by the annular framework thereof, said tube having an opening that communicates with the vaporizer tube outlet and having a cylinder downstream thereof in spaced adjacent relation to the vaporizer tube, a mantle carried on the cylinder, a transparent lens adapted to fit within the top open framework and be supported thereby in confinement between the framework and lantern assembly, and means for releasably holding the lantern assembly and framework together, said releasable securing means includes a bail handle of resilient material having ends that are directed inwardly toward one another adapted to fit under a spring bias through aligned openings in the lantern assembly and the framework; and the burner assembly having a sleeve larger than the vaporizer tube adapted to fit over the tube and a burner outlet at the upper end of the sleeve that is located within the annular framework when the sleeve is in place over the vaporizer tube, and the manifold wall having a pair of openings therein suitable for receiving the sleeve of the burner assembly for holding said burner assembly during storage, and spring means for securing the burner assembly in place relative to the manifold wall.

2. A portable convertible mantle lantern, camp stove according to claim 1, wherein a starter trough is disposed about the lower end of the vaporizer tube capable of holding a small quantity of liquid fuel upon manual filling thereof, whereupon ignition of same heats the sleeve and vaporizer tube for starting operation as a camp stove. 

1. A portable convertible mantle lantern, camp stove comprising a fuel dispensing unit including a fuel tank, a vaporizer tube upstanding from the fuel tank and fuel line means including a valve communicating between the fuel tank and the vaporizer tube, a pervious air inlet manifold wall upstanding from the fuel tank annularly spaced from the vaporizer tube, and a top open annular framework upstanding from the manifold wall and surrounding in spaced relationship the vaporizer tube; and lantern and burner assemblies adapted to be selectively and individually placed in operative association with the fuel dispensing unit for selective operation respectively as a lantern or camp stove, said lantern assembly being unitary and being removed from or positioned on the fuel dispensing unit in the one piece and having a vented hood and a downwardly depending tube therefrom that opens to within adjacent proximity of the air manifold wall when the lantern assembly is positioned on the fuel dispensing unit and is supported by the annular framework thereof, said tube having an opening that communicates with the vaporizer tube outlet and having a cylinder downstream thereof in spaced adjacent relation to the vaporizer tube, a mantle carried on the cylinder, a transparent lens adapted to fit within the top open framework and be supported thereby in confinement between the framework and lantern assembly, and means for releasably holding the lantern assembly and framework together, said releasable securing means includes a bail handle of resilient material having ends that are directed inwardly toward one another adapted to fit under a spring bias through aligned openings in the lantern assembly and the framework; and the burner assembly having a sleeve larger than the vaporizer tube adapted to fit over the tube and a burner outlet at the upper end of the sleeve that is located within the annular framework when the sleeve is in place over the vaporizer tube, and the manifold wall having a pair of openings therein suitable for receiving the sleeve of the burner assembly for holding said burner assembly during storage, and spring means for securing the burner assembly in place relative to the manifold wall.
 2. A portable convertible mantle lantern, camp stove according to claim 1, wherein a starter trough is disposed about the lower end of the vaporizer tube capable of holding a small quantity of liquid fuel upon manual filling thereof, whereupon ignition of same heats the sleeve and vaporizer tube for starting operation as a camp stove. 